Chapter 848 This big tree is actually connected to the World Tree

Russians are outnumbered, and a huge fleet is right in front of them.

The military power of the Uppsala people had no ability to stop the advance of this large fleet. Although the Russians' intrusion into the Holy Land made leader Swined very unhappy, as a smart man, he immediately I understand my new situation.

Swined showed great support. He only had one request, which was that he hoped Rose would join the team to fulfill his promise.

An empty grassland became the camping ground for Ross’s army.

The camp is deliberately kept at a certain distance from the Uppsala settlements in order to prove its peaceful attitude to the local residents. But a powerful army was right in front of them, and the people of Uppsala who fled into the woods and retreated back in the dusk were extremely vigilant against these outsiders.

The people who retreated quickly noticed this strange scene.

I saw some large livestock suddenly appearing on the grassland controlled by the Russians. They were all large livestock with horns of different sizes. If I took a closer look, they were all reindeer.

There used to be wild reindeer herds in Uppsala, but they were all eaten up by people’s hunting, and they didn’t even have time to tame them. In fact, they have better choices, such as domesticating cattle and sheep, which have higher economic value than reindeer.

They were very worried about the sudden appearance of these large animals eating their wheat fields, and they were also very worried about the Russian army trampling on the young crops intentionally or unintentionally.

Oats are what the Uppsala people depend on, and most of their lakeside areas are surrounded by wheat fields.

Rurik issued some orders, that is, the landing Russian troops were not allowed to trample the young crops and were not allowed to leave the designated positions without authorization. This move was by no means to create a barrier, but to ensure that the Ross army would not frighten the locals with rash and unwise moves.

But for the army that has been sailing all the way, the first priority is to set up camp and make a fire and sleep after finally arriving at the destination.

Forget about running around

Besides, this area also houses the largest temple in the Swedish world.

The pine trees in the inland area can be cut down at will. If the strong men of the Russian army can cut down a patch of pine trees and fir trees, the Uppsala people are willing to see it.

The Uppsala people have always intended to ask for land from the forest. However, logging, especially felling large trees, is a dangerous physical job. Now that they lack strong men, they are temporarily unable to do this. motivation.

Logging is indeed a physical job. A group of Russian warriors of different ages carried their own forest axes, two-man saws, and cables and ran into the forest area in groups.

The collapse of a big tree causes strong vibrations. When the tree trunk falls, it often hits nearby trees, causing violent noises.

Either felled or sawed down, pine and fir trees each have their uses.

Because the ceremony of proclaiming the king and enthroning the throne must show the customs of the Russian people.

What is the Russian custom of building a huge steep wooden tower and then burning it down?, this is the custom of Russia, even though there is a so-called sacred tree here in Uppsala.

Thick tree trunks will be piled into wooden towers by building blocks, and a large number of small tree trunks or relatively straight branches will be processed into wooden strips on the spot. The Ross army wanted to build a serious camp on the grassland in the controlled area. From the perspective of others, it was undoubtedly building a city. A large pit was dug into the grass, and some thick wooden stakes were erected. Starting from the wooden stakes, thin wooden poles were used to build a circular fence.

Several towers are also in the construction plan, but their construction will be postponed later.

Within the wall is the living and accommodation area for the Russian army. It is planned that the army will live in Uppsala for a period of time. If they stay for a long time, they cannot live in tents all the time. If it rains, the tents will becomes meaningless. The army would build a group of wooden houses with rough wooden floors within the walls, and more than ten people would live in a large wooden house.

The construction of the siege was just a small beginning. Most of the soldiers lit bonfires on the shore and rested on the spot, while a small number of people still stayed on the ship.

Leave a lot of work for tomorrow. When night falls, the logging work stops completely.

The camp of the Russian army was filled with a strong aroma of wheat, and there were a large number of iron pots and pottery urns cooking oats. Some shelf-stable onions and bacon were thrown into a pot and boiled, and the army ate this delicious hot meal. In the foreseeable future, eating such meals will become the norm.

Rurik himself was naturally not in the army. His wives, concubines, and children returned to the ship to spend the night shortly after landing. It was not that he was worried about anything, but that some things on the shore were not done well. A large boat that can float safely on the lake after being anchored is a good place to sleep peacefully. Of course, there is also an irrefutable reason why ships are safer.

Rurik and Otto, as well as several Swedish nobles present, were invited by Duke Swined of Uppsala to enter a palace in his house.

Even though he is a Duke, Swined's mansion is just a few large longhouses.

The Uppsala tribe has a small population, and the settlement gathered together is basically a large village. Swined had no motivation to build a grand house, especially now that he was short of money, and he didn't want to waste it.

When the envoy sent out whispered to him that ordering a large Russian ship would cost two hundred pounds of silver coins, he couldn't believe it at first. Facing the status quo of a finished ship, he felt his legs trembling faintly.

Half of the large ship ordered has been deliberately stranded. It is indeed a large ship drifting in the waves, like a slender fish, and the price is very outrageous. The Prince of Rus wants to be the king himself, so it is unreasonable to bargain for the cost of the ships now. In any case, the Rus army is right under his nose, so Swined can only give in strategically and wait until the Prince of Rus becomes the queen. Send him off respectfully.

It’s better to think about it. At least after Prince Rurik landed, he claimed to build a city to house his thousands of troops. After the Russians have finished their work, can they still take the city away? "If you leave, Mucheng will be gone."It's mine. Just so I moved the mansion and the private soldiers there. "Swynedd has such a little ninety-nine.

Now, it is just one step away from the abdication of King Bjorn of Sweden. He has never received any courtesy from the king, and even less so now.

Eighteen years old. Rurik faced a group of laughing nobles. After some polite remarks, the most important matter of kingship and sacrifice naturally began to be discussed.

The person who started the conversation was faced with a bit of embarrassment. , Swined, who stroked his beard, was polite again, "Lord Rurik wants to become king, which is a good thing. You are a hero, especially for bringing me the victorious expedition to Denmark. You also made me feel the glory that I have never experienced before. So”

Rurik was filled with warmth at the flattery. “So what should you do?”

“The most important thing is that I understand very well. You will be under the holy tree. Only by ascending the throne and becoming king will you be recognized by Odin. ”

“That’s what I plan to do. "

"So" Swined knew that the next words might be a little offensive, so he said, "You should perform the ritual according to the rules here, and my high priest should bless you. "

"Your high priest" Rurik did not object for the time being. He was very curious and didn't know what the role of the high priest of the Uppsala people was. He could not be a young woman. Or an old lady with a wrinkled face. “Send your high priest to come quickly. I want to pay you a visit. "

When he spoke like this, most of the nobles present brightened up. Everyone had known the Russians' plan for a long time, but now only Swined didn't know. Could it be that Rurik suddenly changed his mind and wanted to Using the high priest of the Uppsala people to preside over his enthronement ceremony

Swenned thought it was funny, so he urgently sent people to the big temple and invited the priests who worshiped the gods all day long. < /p>

After a while, a man wearing a cowhide, carrying a deer's head, and holding a wooden staff, accompanied by some lower-level priests, entered the house where the nobles were meeting.

The high priest's eyes were sharp, and Rurik was also dressed too gorgeously. The two stared at each other for a while.

"You are Rurik of Ross. "A noble nobleman, a hero protected by Odin" followed by some vague-sounding spells.

The whole scene was so noisy that the arrival of the high priest of Uppsala attracted the attention of the audience. His eyes were so full that even Otto looked at this slightly rickety man.

This man was wearing a cowhide and a deer's head. If he stood on the edge of the twilight forest, he would look like he was coming from the forest.

Otto thought of the late high priest of Rus and the current Rumia. However, the two priests of Rus were short women, and the Uppsala priest was tall. Obviously tall, this man was obviously a strong man in his youth.

""Do you know my name?" Rurik asked with interest.

"When your heroic deeds spread among the people, we also learned about it. I had my doubts, but those heroic deeds were indeed real. We have been waiting for your moment to become king, and now we have finally arrived. "

Rurik glanced at the corner of his mouth and smiled, "Great priest, you are also flattering me."

"This is your destiny. It seems that it will be my honor to preside over your enthronement ceremony. "The high priest is indeed flattering.

Rurik didn't know what the person sent by Swined to report the news said to the priest. This guy really thought he could get glory. How could he let this person have no idea? No familiar old man crowns the new king

A golden laurel crown is placed in a wooden box stuffed with wool, and Rurik will wear the laurel crown as king under the sacred tree.

The old priest showed his bald head, leather jacket and shadow. The gray beard is covered. Although the priest has a bald head, his head and face are covered with black patterns. The patterns are actually easy to identify, and they are all words spelled out in runes.

Many self-proclaimed brave warriors would tattoo words on their bodies to clarify their ambitions, and later believe that this would bring some mysterious power.

The high priest made the tattoos even more outrageous. She is the culmination of this belief.

But Rumia, the high priest of Rus, does not need such measures at all. After she assumes the position of high priest of Rus, she cannot be treated as a woman. She is one of the incarnations of faith, a tool to maintain people's faith, and is also recognized as a woman who has received special favors from Odin. There is no need to use some strange tattoos to strengthen her legitimacy.

The tattoo of the high priest of Uppsala aroused a strong trypophobia reaction in Rurik. He had never wanted to use this priest to crown him, but now he felt a strong disgust in his heart.

Liurik. Rick did not explain verbally and continued to endure the discomfort in his heart. He invited the priest to sit down and continued to cover his head with his antlered helmet to attend the meeting.

He continued to ask, "I heard. I heard some of the rituals of you Uppsala people, but I didn’t hear them very well. You know these things best, could you explain them to me? ”

“Yes. ”

“So, let’s talk about some of the most important ritual steps. "

The high priest nodded, "Since it is a king-making ceremony, the process of the ceremony must go beyond the ceremony of succeeding the leader. You will kneel down and pray to the gods Odin, Thora and Umber in our great temple. And offer your blood and anoint the three idols with your blood. "

"Sacrifice with blood, I can understand it. "

"You should know that our holiness is not Yggdrasil, but it must be related to it. ”

Rurik hurriedly sat upright, Poking his head slightly, "Could it be that the roots of this big tree are always connected to the World Tree?"

"It's very possible." The high priest's words immediately became divine, "I can be sure that the roots of the big tree are The earth veins are connected to the World Tree. Although the gods are all high in the sky," the priest pointed his finger first to the sky and then to the earth, "but here, the best way to connect with the gods is this tree. . Your prayers will pass through the earth's veins, from our Midgard to Asgard."

"This is actually true."

Even Bjorn had never heard of this. Otto was already very old and had never been heard of.

Otto then started talking eloquently, "I've heard that you Uppsala people built a big temple, and you spent a lot of wealth on the construction. I didn't expect this to be the reason."

"That's indeed the reason." The high priest immediately affirmed.

Otto sighed softly, his aging face showing sharp eyes under the oil lamp, "But you Uppsala people are still a small tribe, and you have never been glorious in the past. Does this mean that even though you are sitting here? "I have a big tree that connects to the world tree, but my faith is not pious enough."

The words were filled with thorns, and the nobles felt that this was Otto's sarcasm, and they felt secretly happy in their hearts. Undoubtedly, these words were a mockery of Uppsala, and they also made the high priest look embarrassed.

But this is a fact

Otto glanced at his son Rurik lightly and gave him a meaningful look.

In this way, Rurik took in his father’s words without hesitation, and immediately said, "It is a real holy tree on earth, and it is waiting for a real king. So here I am." ."

"That's right." The high priest hurriedly took over the words.

"Is there any other major ceremony?"

"The blood of warriors is still needed to water this sacred tree. Lord Rurik, you need to hand over at least one warrior in order to The blood nourishes it. At that time, you will at least prick your finger and smear the blood on the tree trunk.”

Although “Human Sacrifice” Rurik asked knowingly, he still sounded shocked. .

"Exactly, human sacrifice." The high priest emphasized solemnly, "I heard that the former King of Sweden, Olegen, killed five or ten slaves and used the slaves' blood as a sacrifice to the god Mellaren. , he sacrificed to the wrong person, and did not receive Odin's blessing, so he died in the battle. As for the person who did not even perform sacrifices and became a king, he would not receive any blessings from the gods."

The words of the high priest are very untrue. Bjorn himself is here. Even if his throne is a joke, he is still the king of Sweden in name only.

Bjorn didn't bother to get angry. Looking at the situation of the Uppsala people themselves, they couldn't compare with the Melalen tribe in terms of strength.

Rurik became alert, "You are asking me to hand over a warrior so that the warrior can sacrifice for me to become king."

"That's right."

"This is really unreasonable"Rurik stood up suddenly in a rage, and a strong bear became angry.

But at this moment, the high priest's face remained unchanged, his head raised, and the oil lamp shone on his patterned face. "Only in this way can you gain the approval of the gods. And the sacrificed warrior is not Sacrifice in vain, his soul will go directly to Valhalla."

"There is no need for this ritual of yours, it is completely meaningless to us in Ross. I understand what you are saying, and I will not perform it. . I will not let a warrior die in vain for me to become king. This is not honorable at all, and it is even more meaningless.”

“But” the high priest of Uppsala wanted to emphasize something, Rurik said. Interrupt mercilessly.

Next, Rurik preached about the Russian people’s understanding of the World Tree in front of the great nobles who were very present, and what he said also gave this man with a pattern on his face. The high priest was greatly shocked.

Is it credible? Maybe very credible.

The late high priest of the Russians was really upgraded to the Valkyrie. The warriors of the Russians have a shortcut to the temple

Is this the reason why the Russians are opposed to human sacrifice? But They are not opposed to blood sacrifices. The so-called sacrifices are none other than the reindeer herds that were shipped off the ship.

The High Priest of Uppsala realized that he was just a footnote in the Rurik King Ceremony of Rus. The Rus’ people moved the entire group of Rus’ priests here, and now they already know that in the Holy Tree After giving some instructions for the ceremony, they obviously have the final say on the rest.

However, the sacrifice turned out to be one hundred and eleven reindeer. It was so grand that a huge reindeer herd was to be sacrificed for the birth of a king.

The high priest of Uppsala was so shocked that his mouth trembled, "What a grand occasion this is. Deer blood will turn into a lake. Such a blood sacrifice is so spectacular."

"Could it be you, the high priest?" I still feel that such a ritual is not correct." Rurik looked down upon it.

"Don't dare, don't dare. You are the king. All of us, Uppsala priests, are willing to contribute our help at your enthronement ceremony.", please remember:, free and fastest update No anti-theft No anti-theft